


Confessions Of A Broken Student

by miathedestroyer



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Fluff, Jealousy, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23599186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miathedestroyer/pseuds/miathedestroyer
Summary: Sehun is battling college life and dealing with a seemingly unrequited love. Little does he know that the hot new professor with a strict teaching ethic would turn his life even more upside down.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Oh Sehun/Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun, Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Oh Sehun
Comments: 15
Kudos: 42





	1. Old Love and New Lust

**Author's Note:**

> hi! the tag 'underage' has been included because Sehun is 19 years of age in this story, and that is under the age of consent in Korea. so that i don't feel like i'm being illegal, let's just pretend it's set in the US where it's 16-18. also, i'm a home schooled secondary student so i have nooo ideaaa how college works! please forgive me. tell me if u want me to update. bye and thaaanks

The day had only just started, but Sehun felt as though he'd been running a 10-hour long marathon. His legs could barely carry him as he tread across the grassy field of Seoul University campus, ignoring every other student that passed him by. Last night with Jongin didn't go how it was supposed to. The dance major was much too innocent; much to wholesome for Sehun to even attempt to let his attraction be known, so instead of confessing, Sehun put up with the boy's incessant rambling about a whole range of topics Sehun couldn't even remember.

Their conversations climbed high into the night until it fell and Jongin was lulled to sleep on Sehun's shoulder, prompting the slightly younger man to carry him to his own bed. They slept apart and Sehun hadn't tried anything with him; didn't even think about it. For some reason, just the thought made him queasy. Maybe it was the image of the sparkles in Jongin's eyes whenever he spoke of dance or his inspirations, or maybe it was the way his hand rose to cover his mouth whenever he laughed.

Sehun sighed as he approached the entrance to class, unsure if he even wanted to go to class. Disturbing his thoughts were the irregular and unfamiliar sounds that seemed to be coming from the open doorway of his class. Confused, Sehun walked closer and upon entering was dumbstruck. Instead of his normal old Professor was a much younger man with black, slick back hair, a tight body and clear skin that was covered by a pair of tight black slacks and a dark brown button-up shirt. Gazing around, Sehun could see a whole bunch of different reactions; squealing girls, jealous boys, but when he turned back to the man standing in the professor's place, the man's eyes were on him.

Sehun froze as he simply stared back. 'Damn, he's hot... but why the hell is he standing by the professor's desk?' 

"You must be... Oh Sehun?" The man called out, his voice soft and smooth and causing every student to turn their attention to Sehun, "Had you read the email sent out last night, you would have arrived 20 minutes earlier." 

A few snickers sounded throughout the hall but were ignored by Sehun, who could only frown as he slowly walked towards his designated spot next to Taemin, one of his closer class mates. When he took off his bag and sat down, the man was still watching and waiting for a response but Sehun was too dumbfounded. 

"I'm speaking to you." The handsome man called out, his voice still smooth but a little tough around the edges.

Sehun shifted in his seat, "Uh... I didn't get an email." He lied. The email most certainly did pop up on his notifications, but he was much too busy admiring Jongin's cocksucker lips to care.

Taemin smirked from beside him, as though he knew exactly what was going through Sehun's head.

The man hummed to himself before turning around, "Strange, I never miss a single student." He responded with a lilt i his voice, picking up a marker to draw his name out on the board.

'Professor Kim Junmyeon.' Sehun read in his head, not entirely surprised but still somewhat perturbed. There were young professors, in fact Professor Yifan himself was young and very attractive, but they were rare. The matter of the man's attractiveness aside, Sehun was entirely confused about why this 'Professor Kim Junmyeon' was standing in the place of the actual professor. Perhaps there had been a mistake, he wondered.

Startling everyone out of their thoughts, the young professor turned around and folded his arms, forearms showing veins, "If any of you, like Mr Oh, chose to ignore the email I sent out last night, let me recap. My name is Kim Junmyeon but you will address me as Professor Kim. From now on, I will be your economics Professor in place of Professor Yifan who has had to return to China permanently for undisclosed reasons." His eyes scanned over the students as he spoke. "I expect dedicated, diligent, and determined students all throughout this semester and will not take the 'work' of lazy, entitled brats." 

His words stirred commotion amidst the students. Some were shocked at news of their professor leaving, and those who had already expected such news were instead surprised at their new professor's use of language. Sehun had already been prepared for news of Professor Yifan's departure from the university. Most of them knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of when. Little did they know it would be at the literal start of the semester. Other than that, Sehun felt a little something stir at the commanding and slightly angry tone in the young professor's voice. It sent him on edge in the best way possible. The student had never been one for specific kinks, but 'Strict Professor' was about to start a list.

A student rose her hand from somewhere behind Sehun, "How old are you?" She asked aloud casually.

Sehun waited for an answer along with everyone else.

"First of all, I will be addressed by my title before a question is asked, second of all, a student will raise their hand when I say they are free to. I will not have a class without structure." Professor Junmyeon responded, causing the girl to lower into her seat with an embarrassed blush.

A little harsh, Sehun thought, but it was definitely hot to see someone so young and attractive in such an authoritative position. Even if seemed to be liking his power too much, Sehun liked it a little as well. Saving him from his own thoughts, Taemin nudged him and stole his attention from the hot professor. 

"Yo," Taemin whispered, "Don't you think he looks too young to be a professor?" Taemin whispered, "I mean, I got the email... but I was expecting a barely shaven 47-year-old." 

Sehun couldn't help but snort at the slightly older student's comment, "Maybe he's older than he looks."

"I hope not, cause damn... he can teach me any day." Taemin replied.

Sehun laughed under his breath, only to be shocked by the resounding noise of something being slammed onto a surface. Both he and Taemin looked down at the professor who was standing next to the professor's wooden desk, his hand clenched on top of a stapler. It wasn't anger on his face, more agitation. Sehun straightened his back, finding the professor a little more scary now than sexy.

The professor's eyes bore deep into Sehun's as a he spoke, "For those who weren't listening, I will be going over the course material before we get into it." He finally looked away, choosing to scan over the students, "No questions until I've finished going over the basics."

Classes were a hassle. Sehun had run into much too many complications for a third day back to college. Sure the beginning of the semester was expected to have some difficulties, but Sehun had literally been told off by the TA for eating in the hallway of the dorms instead of waiting to get to his room. That had set him off into a bad mood as he stormed around his dorm, ignoring Chanyeol and Baekhyun who could only wonder what was going on. 

"Hunnie!" Baekhyun called out from where he lay on his stomach on the sofa, phone in his hands, "Are you angry cause you haven't eaten? I can make you food!" 

Chanyeol snorted, "I don't think he wants to die just yet." He was slumped on the recliner, legs spread out as he also stared down at his phone.

Baekhyun looked over at him and poked his tongue out playfully.

Sehun came out of his room, a frown on his face. He loved Baekhyun and Chanyeol, really, but something about their presence made him want to throw a fit. Maybe he was just worked up from such a tiring day and needed someone to vent to, or maybe he was sexually frustrated from last night with Jongin and then having to stare at Professor Junmyeon for 2 hours straight. He didn't know himself, but he sulked his way over to the couch as Baekhyun made space for him, then he lay down on the sofa with his head perched on the senior's lap. The fingers that started caressing his scalp caused his eyes to close as he fell into a state of semi-bliss, feeling some of the tension leave his body, "You're so good at that, hyung." He murmured.

Baekhyun hummed and smiled softly down at him.

"I'm still annoyed that you call him Hyung, but not me. I think I've earned that title, haven't I?" Chanyeol ranted with a scoff, "Such a rude maknae."

"Yah!" Baekhyun shouted, "He's stressed. Let's not remind him of his faults."

"See, even you admit that he's wrong to not call me Hyung." Chanyeol was almost happy as he spoke.

Sehun could practically hear Baekhyun shaking his head, but he himself smiled at their antics. The tension was starting to leave his body rapidly as he really soaked in the presence of his friends. Whenever he thought he was about to lose it, they were always there to ground him. They had found him on his first day and immediately decided to adopt him and since then , Sehun had never been so glad to meet anyone. They showed him the ropes, they protected him, and they made him laugh. 

"By the way, how did it go with Jonginnie last night?" Baekhyun asked softly, looking down at Sehun's relaxed face, "I asked him but he didn't respond."

Sehun frowned, "What do you mean?" He opened one eye and looked up at Baekhyun inquisitively.

The elder paused, "Uh... well, I asked him what you guys got up to and he didn't even reply. I guessed he was just tired, unless you guys..."

Chanyeol sighed, "If they did anything, do you think Sehun would be in a sulk right now?" 

"I'm not in a sulk." Sehun huffed, "I'm just... tired, I guess."

"Aw," Baekhyun pouted, "If you don't wanna talk about it, that's okay."

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Chanyeol suddenly piped up, dropping his phone face down onto his chest to look over at his two friends, "Since we're doing absolutely nothing and we're all hungry, why don't we go somewhere to eat? Ssodeul maybe? I feel like some grilled meat!" He spoke hopefully, wanting to drill his happiness into the others.

Baekhyun paused to think about it, then looked at Sehun, "Well, Hunnie?" 

Sehun thought about it. Even if he didn't really have the kind of money to go out and eat whenever he pleased, Sehun knew his friends would have him covered. Now he wasn't a leech, but they were his older friends and that usually entailed them paying for him in their outings. It was a win-win situation and he could most definitely go for some grilled meat to quell his confused feelings. "Sure, why not?"

When they arrived at the bar, there were several other groups of students lounged around the place, grilling and eating, talking and laughing, and Sehun automatically felt more lively. This was the nicer side of attending university. The three of them found a table near the far right corner of the bar and settled into their seats. After ordering, they talked and purposely made efforts not to pull out their phones while waiting for their food. Sehun was seated next to Baekhyun on one side of the table while Chanyeol sat on the other side.

"Wait, so you're telling me your new professor is a hot twenty-something year old?" Chanyeol asked in disbelief.

Sehun nodded and leaned forward onto the table, "He's... not only hot, but he's got this thing about him."

Baekhyun quirked an eyebrow, "He's a hot, young professor. Pretty sure that is the 'thing', Sehun."

Sehun shook his head, "No, he's commanding. Like, he's got this thing that makes you want to listen to him. Not like other professors."

"That's just because he's attractive." Baekhyun said plainly, "If he were any other wrinkled professor, you wouldn't be saying that."

Sehun frowned, "Well... that's not true. Professor Yifan was hot, but he was pain in everyone's ass." 

"Yeah, just let him be attracted to his professor, Baek." Chanyeol laughed at the taken aback expressions on both his friends' faces, "What?"

"He most definitely shouldn't be attracted to his professor."

"I'm not attracted to my professor."

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, "Right." He drawled.

"I like Jongin." Sehun said with his eyes downcast, "I mean, I'll always like him."

Suddenly the table was silent and neither Baekhyun nor Chanyeol had anything funny or witty to say. Before the situation could get any more awkward, they heard the familiar sound of meat sizzling and made space for the waiter to place the food and drinks onto the table. The three friends thanked the waiter before digging in; Sehun pouring the drinks and Baekhyun grilling the meat for his younger friends. They simply ate and enjoyed the atmosphere, the previous feelings slowly seeping away. After they had done away with their jug of soju, Chanyeol had requested another one while Sehun wanted more food, so naturally Baekhyun went up to the bar to request the menu.

Sehun's head fell back as he laughed at a story Chanyeol had retold with added theatrics, "You're not serious."

"I am." Chanyeol nodded fervently, "These kinds of things always happen to me, you guys are just never around to see them."

The younger was well aware Chanyeol was coming up with stories to cheer him up, and just the thought warmed his heart. His friends really were a blessing, even if he were cursed. They deserved his happiness, so he let go of the negative feelings of his unrequited love and let his eyes crinkle until they sparkled. Oh Sehun let himself live in the moment for his friends. 

Until he caught sight of the man in the corner of his eyes. It was Professor Junmyeon, seated a table with a few other professors and dressed in much more casual wear. Chanyeol followed Sehun's line of sight and automatically knew exactly who had caught his eye.

"Is that the hot, twenty-something year-old professor?" Chanyeol asked as he turned back around, watching Sehun for a response.

Sehun noticed the laid back appearance the professor suddenly donned; a grey, slightly frayed sweater with a pair of white washed jeans. The man's hair was ruffled slightly as opposed to how it had been in class; stiff and slick. His face was more relaxed though somewhat controlled as he listened to the conversation of the other professors.

"Sehun?" Chanyeol asked, a slight smirk on his lips.

"That's him." Sehun said as he tore his eyes away, "Just looks a lot different."

"Well, you didn't give him enough credit. Man's pretty much the hottest older guy I've ever seen." Said Chanyeol, "Not to mention he obviously knows how to work clothes. Or maybe that's just his face doing all the work."

Sehun looked down at his hands. Of course Professor Junmyeon was attractive, and obviously smart, but he was _bound_ to be a good ten years older than himself and not to mention was his professor. Even though the man was attractive, the pinnacle of attractive was actually very different to the beauty that the Professor held. He had never seen anyone as beautiful as Kim Jongin. 'I'm ridiculous, comparing two people who don't even like me.' He scoffed to himself, feeling those negative feelings return.

When Baekhyun returned with the menu, he caught up with the situation as the three of them went over the menu once more, "I've gotta say, even though he looks young... I think he's gotta be around fifteen years older than us. If you look closely, you'll see he looks mature. Even with the good skin."

"What was he like? As a professor?" Chanyeol asked.

Sehun sighed, "Tough." He scanned the list of side dishes in search for the most appetizing, "Took everything too seriously."

Baekhyun hummed, "If you looked at him now, you would never guess that."

The youngest shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to talk about the professor any further. "I feel like eating something sweet."

Baekhyun perked up, "Like dessert?"

Sehun paused to consider his two favorite options. He could have sweet and sour chicken with a side of rice, or he could have a dessert. Both sounded appetizing but he hadn't had a sugar rush in a while so he decided for a sundae. Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun followed suit and ordered their own desserts as well as a whole plate of fried chicken and another jug of soju. After their orders arrived, the three friends ate and talked about their plans for the future. Sehun had let them know that he was planning to work at his parents company for a little while in order to save money for a house, to which they responded with sorrowful cries.

"What do you mean you want to buy a house?" Chanyeol inquired as he shoved a forkful of cheesecake into his mouth, "Why can't we all just... get apartment rooms on the same floor?"

"Like friends!" Baekhyun exclaimed.

Chanyeol pulled the fork out of his mouth, " _Exactly_ like friends." 

Sehun laughed as he spooned ice cream into his mouth, letting the creamy texture melt in his mouth. The second he looked up he was met with a certain pair of eyes. A knot formed in his stomach as Professor Junmyeon stared directly at him, the professor's eyes somewhat hooded with what appeared to be either anger or... was it lust? Sehun couldn't tell, but it was doing strange things to him. He could feel heat rise to his face as the older man continued staring at him. Sehun looked away and turned his attention to the conversation Baekhyun and Chanyeol were having, which seemed to have escalated into an argument.

"I would be the best at taking care of a house." Baekhyun argued as he tore into a piece of fried chicken.

"Every time you attempt to cook, something ends up on fire." Chanyeol replied, "I'm the one that cooks."

Sehun tried to focus on their banter but couldn't help but feel the lingering stare of Professor Junmyeon on him. Either he was imagining things or the man had looked at him with lust. That or he was just purely angry to see Sehun, which didn't seem to make sense. What ever did he to do to the professor?

"Ugh, I'm so full." Chanyeol leaned back onto his chair and put a hand on his stomach, "Thanks for the meal, hyung."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes as he lowered his cup of soju, "You're paying for half."

"Hey!" Chanyeol exclaimed, "That's rude. I'm also your dongsaeng."

"Yes, but your job pays more than mine." Baekhyun retorted.

Sehun finished his ice cream and suddenly began to feel the effects of too much food and alcohol mixed together, or maybe his nerves were playing up because of a certain professor. The others were still arguing, but Sehun's mind was focused only on the fact that Professor Junmyeon was currently in the same bar as him. Hopefully the older man wouldn't judge him for drinking alcohol the night before a class. 'Wait, that's exactly what he's going to do.' 

"So let's just leave it there, okay Yeollie?" Baekhyun smiled and leaned over to pat Chanyeol's head, "Good puppy."

"Yah!" Chanyeol laughed and hit the older's hand away, "You're the only puppy here, right Sehun?"

The younger was startled out of his thoughts, "Uh, yeah." He looked at his friends who had suddenly become aware of the glazed look in the younger's eyes.

"Hunnie, you okay?" Baekhyun tilted his head, "Do you wanna go home?" He suggested softly.

Sehun shook his head, knowing he was being unfair for ruining their night, "How about we stay a little longer?"

The night ended far too soon for Sehun's liking. When they bid their goodbyes, Sehun, feeling a little tipsy, swiped his card and pushed through the door to his dorm. It was at times like this he was glad to have his own room instead of sharing with others. Baekhyun and Chanyeol insisted it wasn't that bad, but Sehun just knew he probably would have gotten stuck with a goody two-shoes who would probably judge him for drinking during school days. Eyes heavy and limbs tired, Sehun pushed through his night routine and ungracefully slipped under his covers, letting sleep take its course.


	2. Tears and Emails

It may have been the worst decision he ever made signing up for early morning classes, but Sehun had been ready to prove to everyone that he was responsible. That he could get to class without having to be woken up. Unfortunately for him and everyone that trusted him, it was only day four and Sehun had failed to wake up on time and ended up running across the campus lawn wearing an over-sized hoodie and an unwashed pair of jeans. Not to mention his hair stuck up in all directions as the cold air hit his face. It would have been a nice spring morning had it not been ruined by Sehun's tardiness. He wasn't looking forward to facing Professor Junmyeon. It was common knowledge that some professors were okay with students fucking up in their first few weeks, but Sehun just knew it wouldn't be the same for their new professor. 

Anxiety filled his veins as he let out a breath and pushed the door open, uncaring of the students' eyes on him but devastatingly aware of the professor's dark eyes that were currently trained on him. 'Don't look, just sit. Don't look.' 

"How nice of you to join us." The professor called out mockingly, a small smile on his lips, "We were just going over paragraphs six and seven if you'd like to get your textbook out and join in."

Sehun tried not to let the tone in the professor's voice get to him and instead pushed through the desks and plonked down in his seat next to Taemin, throwing his bag down by his feet and hurrying to unzip it. When he pulled out his textbook, suddenly he had forgotten everything they had learned yesterday. Maybe it was the fear upon realizing that Professor Junmyeon now thought of him as one of those 'lazy, entitled brats' he mentioned, or maybe he was still a little hungover from last night. The young man didn't know, all he wanted was to go back to bed. And maybe text Jongin. Just the thought of him made Sehun's heart smile before he realized he was in class and needed to snap out of it.

Next to him, Taemin leaned over, "You look wasted." The blonde boy whispered.

Sehun rolled his eyes without looking at the other, "You always say _exactly_ what I want to hear." He whispered back sarcastically, only to receive a smirk in response.

After they had finished going over the paragraphs, Junmyeon introduced their first assignment and began presenting the topic with the students. "Anyone not taking notes, get out something to write on. Whether it be an electronic device or a good, old-fashioned pen and paper. Anything." The Professor demanded as he walked around to the front of his desk and sat back onto it, facing the students who rustled around in their bags.

Sehun froze. He had forgotten everything - his binder, laptop, and even the other textbook they were meant to be going over. 'Damn, I'm an idiot.' 

The professor seemed to have noticed the struggle of his student, "Oh Sehun, is there something wrong?" 

Sehun straightened his back and cleared his throat, finally gaining the courage to look at the professor, and as soon as he did, the older man's eyes pierced straight through him. It was the complete opposite of Jongin's gaze which was soft, pure and _kind_... but it had the same effect on him. 'There's definitely something wrong with me.'

"Er..." Sehun scratched the back of his head, "I forgot all my stuff." He expected the scoffs and laughs from the other students, but not the smile he received from the professor. To Sehun's eyes though, it appeared as more of a _smirk_.

"Seems you also forgot your head, Mr. Oh." 

A blush crept up his cheeks at the professor's comment. Even the way he simply said 'Mr. Oh' managed to turn Sehun on. He wasn't proud of how easily he was falling prey to whatever the professor was pulling on him. It felt almost illegal to feel anything other than the typical teacher-student feelings that most students felt for their professors, but Sehun couldn't help it. Plus, he was sure most the other students were feeling the very same things. They were young after all, and their professor was hot. That much couldn't be denied.

The day passed without as many mishaps, but Sehun still couldn't help but feel an underlying sadness. Jongin hadn't contacted him since he had stayed over at Sehun's dorm, and although that wasn't unusual, Sehun couldn't help but feel depleted. Lying alone atop his sheets, the student wished more than anything that Jongin would just hurry up and _see,_ or at least that he himself would find the courage to confess. Ten years had passed and Sehun still couldn't imagine himself telling the other of his feelings. Since elementary school, Jongin had been there with him. Even when they reached their teenage years they were still stuck together like glue. It was around the last two years of high school that their relationship changed. Although Sehun had always prioritized Jongin above all else, the other seemed to take advantage of things outside their relationship. They no longer stuck together. The other found hobbies, interests, and other friends that took his attention away from Sehun. It always made Sehun feel like a horrible person for resenting the other things in Jongin's life, but he couldn't help it. To him, it was always _them_. 

When they got into the same college, Sehun expected it to be a cause for celebration, but the other had simply sent a congratulatory text and Sehun spent the day alone in his room before heading off to college. Had it not been for meeting Chanyeol and Baekhyun on his first day... Sehun shuddered at what he might have done. Even when Jongin had apologized for not being there, Sehun could sense the lack of heart in the other's words. They just simply weren't as close anymore, but Sehun, for whatever ungodly reason, could not let that stop his feelings from growing even more. Jongin was his childhood love, his high school love, and now his college love... except the love was all on one side. Maybe it was the stress of the start of a new semester or just the overall stress of life, but Sehun let the tears fall down the side of his face. When they hit the pillow, more streamed and the student lifted his hands to grasp his head, letting out a shuddered breath. 

_'Ding.'_

Sehun gasped in surprise, not expecting the tinny sound of an email notification to erupt through his eardrums. Wiping away his tears, he sat up and reached for his phone on the bedside table. The bright screen penetrated his eyes as he entered his passcode and swiped the bar down. It was an email from Professor Junmyeon. The student sniffed and leaned up against his headboard, nerves awry as he pressed the email. 

_'Oh Sehun,_

_I am in no position to police you on your activities outside of the classroom but drinking alcohol the night before an early class is not the brightest idea. As my student, I expect you to arrive on time and, not hungover. Student drinking should be reserved for the weekends, no matter the amount. The next time you arrive in class even the slightest bit affected_ _by alcohol, I will send you out immediately._

_Regards, Professor Junmyeon.'_

Disbelief flooded through Sehun at the untimely email. Not only was he torn over Jongin not giving a damn about him, but his professor was also giving him a hard time about drinking a few cups of soju. With a frown, he quickly pressed 'reply' before typing out a response.

_'To Professor Junmyeon,_

_I apologize for arriving to class late, but I was not hungover. I only had two cups of soju at Ssodeul last night, not nearly enough to get drunk. I arrived late because I slept through my alarm, but it won't happen again._

_Sincerest apologies, Oh Sehun.'_

The young student debated leaving 'sincerest apologies' at the end but decided the professor probably wouldn't accept the apology otherwise. He seemed like the type to _demand_ apologies and Sehun wasn't about to have his name underlined in Professor Junmyeon's bad books. There was a chance that Sehun would regret sending the email, but he did so anyway and closed the app. It made him a little giddy upon realizing that the professor took his time out of the day to send him a personal email, even if it was just to chastise him. That meant that wherever the elder man was, he was thinking about Sehun. 'Of course he's thinking about you, he's your professor.' The more rational part of Sehun told himself.

Suddenly, that 'ding' sounded and his phone vibrated in his hand. Sehun re-entered his phone and paused for a few moments in a small moment of anxiety before clicking on the email. His eyes widened at the email and the student wasn't sure if he was reading right. Maybe the alcohol from last night was still in his bloodstream, but that was _highly_ unlikely. 

_'Oh Sehun,_

_Is there any particular reason why you keep spacing out during my lessons? Is there something I'm doing that bores you to pieces?_

_Regards, Professor Junmyeon'_

Now, Sehun had not a single clue how to respond to such an email. Most professors kept their personal comments to themselves but in the first week, this new professor somehow thought it was okay to jump to conclusions about his students. By no means was Sehun bored; the student couldn't think of a single person who would be bored watching a hot specimen strut around a classroom. No, he wasn't bored, but he was also not going to admit to Professor Junmyeon that he was simply just daydreaming about him. It took a while for his brain to formulate some type of response, but the student braved up and hit the reply button once more with a response.

_'To Professor Junmyeon,_

_I apologize if my behavior has caused you to think that I am bored in your class. It's not that I'm bored, but rather that I am tired. I have trouble sleeping some times and it shows whenever I have to sit still, but I can assure you that I listen in your class. In fact, I look forward to tomorrow's lesson._

_Sincerely, Oh Sehun.'_

It wasn't a lie, he did have trouble sleeping, but that hadn't been his reason this time and he could sense that the professor knew that. The student didn't want to wait around for a response, so he threw his phone down somewhere and got up to go to the kitchen. Baekhyun would probably cry wolf upon hearing he hadn't eaten all day, but Sehun's mind had been too preoccupied for the thought of food to enter it. Now though, he could feel his insides bursting with hunger. It was approaching midnight and Sehun realized that he should start trying to sleep earlier, but he shrugged. What was university life if it wasn't completely out of whack?

After throwing together a bowl of ramen, fried meat, and steamed vegetables, Sehun returned to his room and sat back onto his bed, being careful not to spill any of his food as he settled it onto the bedside table. 'He definitely hasn't emailed me back...' The student thought as he searched around for his phone. After finding it lodged underneath his pillow, Sehun swiped down the notification bar to see there was indeed an email from Professor Junmyeon.

_'Oh Sehun,_

_I am sorry to hear of your sleeping troubles and can only hope you find the remedy. I always find that tea before bed makes me that little bit more tired, but if that should not work for you then maybe seek help from a medical professional. Or perhaps you should do that first. Do keep up your health and try to keep on top of your work for this semester. There is going to be a lot on everyone's plates and I need my students in top condition. I will see you tomorrow._

_Regards, Professor Junmyeon'_

The entire email surprised Sehun because never did his previous professor take the time to email any of the students, especially not with health advice. Professor Yifan had simply delivered his lessons with the most stoic of manners, never making anything personal. Had it not been for that one trait, most of his students would have loved him. The man, like Professor Junmyeon, was also young and attractive, but far too scary for anyone to act on their attraction.

This 'Professor Junmyeon' though, had proven to Sehun that he wasn't that type of professor like the student had originally assumed. Or maybe Sehun was being too hopeful, too soon. He decided he would leave their exchange and finally dig into his ramen that had probably already gone cold. After eating, Sehun had spent an hour or so studying their assignment topic with his computer on his lap and study materials messily scattered over the bed. Reading about 'economics in the undeveloped world' wasn't exactly what he wanted to be doing, but he decided that maybe it was necessary. Well after midnight, the light of the screen became too much for his tired eyes and Sehun closed the laptop before throwing it down beside his bed somewhere. Without even bothering to put his study materials away, Sehun got under the blankets and turned off his bedside lamp. After an unknown amount of time spent overthinking events of past and current, Sehun's mind finally fell into the abyss of sleep.

Sehun blinked, vision blurry. There was far too much light in the room. "Shit!" He jumped out of bed and searched around for his phone, "Shit, where is it?" He threw the covers off and looked around on the floor next to the bed, only to see his phone on the floor next to his laptop. When he checked the time, he simply sighed and relaxed. It was nowhere near eight, which left him plenty of time to shower and maybe check in on Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Except his curtains were open and he could hear familiar squabbling coming from outside his room. The young student smiled and stood up and walked, knowing Baekhyun would go at him for sleeping in jeans. 'Those damn hyungs...'

In the lounge, Chanyeol was lying longways on the sofa, his feet resting upon the armrest. On his chest lay a textbook that he was probably supposed to be reading but instead, his eyes were glued to the phone in his over-sized hands. When the older student realized Sehun was in the room, his eyes lit up, "Sehun, you woke up on your own!" He cheered, watching as the younger student walked through to the kitchen.

"Yes, hyung, sometimes I do that," Sehun called out in reply, his voice still raspy from sleep.

Baekhyun spun around from where he was stood by the oven, stirring fried vegetable, "Morning, Hunnie." He smiled at the younger who smiled tiredly in response, "Did you get a good sleep?" He inquired, turning back around to check on the food.

Sehun walked towards the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, "No, I was up all night studying."

" _You_ were studying?" Baekhyun whistled, "Times are changing. But I see you're still forgetting to change into your pajamas, Hunnie. It's not good to sleep uncomfortable. 

"Hyung, I'm fine. You worry too much." Sehun unscrewed the cap and threw back a few gulps of water before screwing it back on, "Where did you even find that food, anyway?" He asked the older, genuinely confused. 

"I bought it." Baekhyun answered, picking up another utensil to check on the rice in the steamer, "There's always nothing but ramen in your kitchen, Sehun. Your antics worry me."

"I'm a freshman, what do you expect?" Sehun sassed. 

"Absolutely nothing, kid," Baekhyun responded before they both broke into laughter.

After breakfast with his friends, they all cleaned up together before his two senior friends left for their class. Sehun quickly showered and changed into a _clean_ pair of black, acid-washed jeans and a plain white shirt. After slipping on a belt, Sehun messily tucked his shirt in and threw on a grey unzipped hoodie. This time, he mentally made a note to remember all of his study gear and threw it all into his bag before throwing it over his shoulder. The walk to class was nice, but the niceness of a good morning would always be ruined by the boring monotony of economics class. If his parents hadn't co-owned a multi-million dollar company, Sehun would have no interest in economics. Too bad working under his parents was his only plan after college. Upon arriving to class, Sehun let out a sigh of relief when he saw the professor hadn't arrived yet. Not even Taemin could be seen, which only meant Sehun had arrived extra early. Gladdened, the freshman set up his desk and quickly went over the article Professor Junmyeon had told them to read. Sehun hadn't forgotten they were gonna be tested on the content of the said article, and for once felt proud of himself. 

Somewhere to his left, a few loud girls were crowded around a desk with a Bluetooth speaker, playing music and laughing. Although the music wasn't too loud, it was still somewhat aggravating Sehun who always found it way too easy to get distracted from studying. Just as he was about to make his frustration known, the door opened and in walked Professor Junmyeon, dressed in a pair of black slacks, a white shirt with the top two buttons undone, and a pair of reading glasses. Sehun almost licked his lips at the way the professor walked through to the front of the class, his strut confident but strangely not arrogant. His thoughts were dangerous, Sehun understood, but it's not as though he was going to voice them aloud. No one knew, and no one had to know about his... what does he even call it? Attraction? Sehun most definitely didn't love the man, hell, he didn't even know him enough to like him. Even though his heart still longed for Jongin, Sehun could not help but thirst for his professor. Or maybe he could help it and was choosing not to. Sehun frowned in frustration as he stared at the professor who had chosen to pause and scroll through his phone a few feet from his desk.

"I don't allow music in my classes." The professor said aloud without looking up, his words obviously meant for the group of girls who immediately turned off the music and scurried back to their desks. "You have plenty of time for that after classes." He added before taking a seat at his desk 

'Stop looking at him, damn it.' Sehun looked down at his laptop and pretended to be busy as though the professor was even giving him the time of day. 

When Taemin arrived, Sehun almost jumped out of his chair with glee. Now he had someone to distract not only from the professor but from the boring study material on his laptop. They chatted away, Sehun actually feeling happy to converse with another student so freely. Last semester, Sehun hadn't branched out all, much too shy to consider joining any friend groups or even making conversation with fellow peers but something about Taemin made Sehun feel comfortable, as though they had been friends in High School. 

"I've had like... two dates in the past five years. And both with the same people." Taemin admitted, leaning back in his chair.

Sehun snorted, "Quite the ladies man."

"I pride myself on not being a player, actually." Taemin smiled at the other, "Like you probably were in high school."

"I was anything but." Sehun replied in a matter-of-fact manner, "I didn't date once in High School, and I don't plan to do so in college." Of course not, because there was only one person he would ever date. The one person he would never get.

Taemin touched his chin and pretended to think, "Hm, yeah... I'm gonna need a reference for that statement." He said, eliciting a laugh from Sehun.

A few minutes passed and more students were coming in, either alone or in small groups. Sehun had returned to scanning over the article but couldn't help but glance up at the professor's desk only to catch the professor looking right back at him. The student immediately looked away, clearing his throat. He may have been imagining things, but Sehun sure the professor had somewhat of a smile on his lips in that brief moment they looked at each other. 'I'm just an idiot, why would he be smiling at me?'

The class was no more eventful than the previous and when it finished, all the students rushed to get out of their seats, eager to head to the cafeteria in search of food. Sehun though stayed seated, even after Taemin's incessant pleas for Sehun to accompany him to the cafeteria. There were a few things he wanted to make known to the professor, concerning both his grades and the current assignment. The student felt jittery as he slowly returned his laptop and stationery to his backpack, suddenly regretting his decision to stay behind. When he got out of his chair and slung the bag over his back, he nervously approached the professor's desk, not wanting to look him in the eye.

"Sehun, what can I do for you?" Professor Junmyeon spoke calmly, leaning forward onto the desk with his hand entwined.

It took a few seconds for the student to brave up, simply reminding himself that he was no weak bitch. With a small smile, he lifted his head, looking in the professor's general direction but not quite at his face, "I just... wanted to let you know that my grades last year were really bad, but I plan to try harder this semester." He replied, his voice so much more weak and immature compared to the smooth, velvet tone of the professor's voice. It made him cringe.

"Your grades averaged on B, so you're hoping to achieve an average of A this year?" Junmyeon inquired, tilting his head as he watched the student fiddle nervously in front of him.

"Well," Sehun realized how unrealistic the prospect sounded, "I guess I'll start small and just... try to hand everything in on time."

A smile graced the professor's lips, "I can help with you with that, Sehun. I am adept at reminding my students of their deadlines. Perhaps I could also remind you to get to bed on time."

Professor Junmyeon was _teasing_ Sehun, and no matter how hard the student tried, he could not fight the blush that permeated his cheeks. His hand automatically lifted to brush his left cheek in a moment of nervousness, "I also wanted to know if, well- uh, we could use the Britannica as a source for information on the undeveloped economies of the modern world?" He asked, wanting to quickly diffuse the situation. 

"Britannica is a reliable source however your assigned topic requires a more up-to-date source of information, so maybe look to the more modern encyclopedias. The oxford series are some of the best I could recommend." Professor Junmyeon spoke swiftly, the smile on his lips reaching his eyes as he eyed the nervous student standing in front of him. "Are you still there, Oh Sehun?" He waved his hand, laughing at the surprised look on the younger one's face.

"Sorry sir, yes I am." The student folded his arms, then unfolded them. Damn, he had never been so nervous in front of another person in his entire life. He was shy at a point in his life, but he thought he'd grown out of that state. Little did he know the sole presence of a hot professor with a million-dollar smile would have it all rushing back.

"Did you hear what I said, Oh Sehun?" The professor inquired, smile dimmed down.

Sehun nodded fervently, "Yes, sir. I should use the oxford series as a source."

"Good, now is there anything else you need help with?" The professor waited patient, and calm for a response. His eyes watched the student ever so gently but there was something else lurking behind them.

Sehun gulped fast before shaking his head, "N-No, I'm good," He chastised himself for that small stutter. 

The professor paused for a moment to assess the student's face, his eyes narrowed and calculative, "Alright, but remember this so that you don't have to find out the hard way," he straightened his posture only to lean back into his chair and fold his arms over his chest, "When I said I would not take your work if I don't see the worth in it, I meant it. I will not even grade your work should it fall short of expectations."

Fear coursed through Sehun's veins at the tone in the professor's voice. Either the man had been the victim of useless students at his previous university or he simply did not take anything less than stellar, and that thought scared Sehun. He had never been of that Grade A material, simply passing with average or just over average grades since the start of his education. It sounded as though Professor Junmyeon wanted his students to break their backs over their grades, even though most of them were already doing so. His silence spurred the professor to continue.

"I failed half of my last class because they refused to wise up and fix their faults. This time won't be the same, and I expect you to heed this advice, my student," Professor Junmyeon smiled as though to alleviate the pressure he had just put on the young man. "Study hard and don't let anything get in your way."

His voice was filled with such concern that it made Sehun rethink the way he had thought of this man. At first, he had been strict, and that was a given considering he was a professor, but he had also been cold in the way he spoke. Mocking. But this time, Sehun could practically feel the sincerity in the man's words. It made his stomach flutter and he mentally kicked himself, aware of how stupid and irrational his attraction to the professor was. With an awkward smile, Sehun clutched his bag strap as though to signal he was leaving.

"Well, have a good day, Oh Sehun." The professor adjusted his glasses and sent a smile to the student as he navigated around his desk, grabbing his keys and phone.

Sehun bowed his head politely, "You too, sir." He turned and made his way out of the class, determined to get the assignment down before the deadline. Perhaps that would convince the professor that he wasn't lazy nor entitled, rather unmotivated. Now though, he finally had the motivation to try harder. And hopefully the right distraction to take his mind off a certain someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! this chapter was 1k words longer, but im gonna keep all the chapters around 3k-5k words long. plus, i'm sorry for the angst haha. btw, if you're curious, im 13!! i hope you enjoyed this. stay tuned! i will try write a chapter a day!


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